Revanth permitted to file separate case on TRS issue

Arguments came up for hearing at Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has accorded permission to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy on Monday to file separate cases on the departments on which he had objections related to Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) which has now changed as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

The Delhi High Court according permission to Mr. Revanth Reddy gets significance in the view of the Election Commission of India (ECI) allowing the change of TRS name to BRS after the ruling party filed a request in this regard by party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for which Mr. Revanth objected.

Mr. Revanth Reddy filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court accusing illegal collection of funds by the TRS in the name of ‘Bangaru Kuli (paying huge amounts to a person for performing nominal work as part of fund generation)‘ to celebrate their plenary and public meeting in April 2017. “The entire mechanism of Bangaru Kali was in fact a back hand method of institutionalizing corruption and was in violation of provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and also violated the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950,” accused Mr. Revanth in the petition. He has also stated that it was not duly reported in the contribution report for the financial year 2017- 18.

Mr. Revanth Reddy has also informed the court that he had filed objections before the ECI which called for objections if any on changing of the name of TRS to BRS.

“If violations of Section 29C of RP Act is detected then the benefits under the RP Act and Symbols Order, 1968, can be withdrawn. In view of this, when as consequence of Income Tax Investigation (if irregularities are found) can lead to withdrawal of the registration of the TRS. In such case, it is stated that the Election Commission in co-ordination with the CBDT should oversee that the investigation into the issues raised by the Petitioner is concluded and a formal view is taken in a time bound manner,” said Mr Revanth Reddy in his petition.

In the letter to ECI Mr. Revanth Reddy said that the issue was referred to Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and income tax departments for further investigation and BRS must not be recognised till such investigation was completed.

In a related development Mr. Revanth Reddy tweeted his objections on ECI according permission to change the name of TRS to BRS stating that it was not right to do so while the ‘Bangaru Kuli’ still under investigation.